The present invention relates generally to inflation valves and, more specifically, to an inflation valve for a river raft.
Inflatable rafts have long been used as lifeboats and as military landing craft, etc. In recent years, inflatable rafts have become increasingly popular for recreational uses such as white-water river rafting.
One advantage that inflatable rafts have over other comparable flotation devices is their capability of being deflated and stored in a relatively compact space when not in use on the water. This capability is enhanced through the use of inflation valves of the type which enable relatively quick inflation and deflation of a associated raft bladder.
One conventional raft valve known in the art as a "military valve" comprises a cylindrical valve body having a threaded interior bore which receives an inner tubular member having matching exterior threads. The inner tubular member comprises a centrally positioned mounting bracket which supports a disk member thereon. An upper end portion of the tubular member comprises radially projecting posts which enable the tubular member to be hand-threaded into and out of the bore in the cylindrical valve body. The tubular member may be threadingly displaced between an open position, wherein the disk member is spaced from the lower portion of the body member, and a closed position, wherein the disk member is placed in sealed relationship with the lower portion of the body member. A problem with this type of valve is that if the valve is screwed too tightly in either the open or the closed position, it may be difficult to unscrew without the use of tools. On the other hand, if this type of valve is not closed tightly enough, it may allow air to leak causing deflation of the raft.
Another type of raft inflation valve is disclosed in Mackal U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,587, issued Oct. 23, 1984, which is hereby specifically incorporated by reference for all that it discloses. This type valve comprises an axially deflectable plunger which may be placed in an open position through hand-depression and rotation of the plunger within a valve body. One problem with a valve such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,587 is that the valve body and plunger configuration are relatively complex and thus relatively expensive to manufacture.
A need exists for a raft inflation valve which may be easily and rapidly placed in an open or sealed position, but which is relatively simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to produce, and extremely rugged and reliable in operation.